Pilot wrote:It was called coastal rather than deep sea, one round trip would take about 5 or 6 days depending on the weather, when I was at sea I went away when my son was three weeks old and returned when he was 7 months, when he was a bit older, about 18 months to 2 years he used to give me strange looks when I first came home.

My dad worked for Stephenson Clarke and did the north east to London trip for years, his ships included the Frederick John Evans, Samuel Clegg, Sheaf Arrow and a series whose name began with Fire e.g Firelight.

Pooter, I know them all from years gone by, by chance I was in Guatamala in 1973 and we berthed next to what had once been a flat iron collier, now painted orange, I went down and you could make out its old name "Samual Clegg".

With regards to the Ewell there have been three ships with that name.
First was built in 1906 and was a Collier.
Second was built in 1926 and was renamed Ewell II in 1958 and was also a collier.
Third was built in 1958 and was renamed Fletching in 1976 she was a flat Iron Collier, she was scrapped in 1980.
Hope this is of help.

Pilot wrote:With regards to the Ewell there have been three ships with that name.
First was built in 1906 and was a Collier.
Second was built in 1926 and was renamed Ewell II in 1958 and was also a collier.
Third was built in 1958 and was renamed Fletching in 1976 she was a flat Iron Collier, she was scrapped in 1980.
Hope this is of help.

Pilot wrote:Of course, I never lie Babooshka, always tell it as I see it, like it or lump it, mind I'm a real Pilot not one of those fly boys, and yes the hat in my Avatar is real, I took the picture myself.

Wow how cool is that!

my mam used to take me for walks along river Drive and past the PILOT'S HOUSE next to The Beacon when I was knee high to a grasshopper.

Babooshka, I'm glad you have good memories of the Pilots from years ago, they, were well respected in the town for generations and the Tyne Pilots had a long tradition of lifesaving including the manning of the Shields lifeboat many years ago, many lost their lives trying to assist other seafarers in peril, however there are those who post here that have no respect for one of the institutions that in the past helped make our town great and world renowned.

Janis Blower was brought up on the Lawe top and her family had a MN and river background but her Father was not a Pilot, Cisco, when I was an apprentice quite a big group of us used to hang out together and Janis was a sort of a friend of a friend, she does a very good job of promoting the MN and river folk and I like her column in the Gazette.

I also enjoy her column Pilot, she mentions her father a lot and the pilot house so I took it that's what he was.
Mind she is a bit obsessed with the river.
I would'nt mind a rake round her office, the stuff what she must have accumulated over the years, it would be pretty interesting stuff.

Pilot wrote:Pooter, I know them all from years gone by, by chance I was in Guatamala in 1973 and we berthed next to what had once been a flat iron collier, now painted orange, I went down and you could make out its old name "Samual Clegg".

What a coincidence. Me and my two brothers used to go down to places like Seaham Harbour or Hartlepool when our dad was "watch aboard" and spend the day on the ship. The highlight being a dinner cooked by the steward. There was one a lad called Colin who was always very good to us. Unfortunately he drowned one night coming back from the pub he slipped off the ladder and ended up between the ship and quayside.

Back in the 70s I sent away for two aerial photos taken of the Samuel Clegg and the Frederick John Evans. I'll seek them out, scan them and put them in the gallery.

Used to work in the offices of the old Burndept factory in Wapping Street just along from the Pilots Watch Hut. One of my workmates was going out with a lad who was an apprentice pilot and two of my classmates had dads who were pilots so I had a great deal of respect for them.
Janis Blower was very helpful and found a photo of my late uncles ship for me.

Delilahcat, when I was a young apprentice pilot I was living in digs in Stanhope Road and used to get the bus down to the market, then some mornings I got on the works bus for the Burndept factory, the conductor used to let me ride for free, it was full of lasses working at the factory and they used to like to say the most outlandish things about what they had been up to the night before to make me blush, well I was only 16 at the time, it was a real eye opener for me, but I kept getting on the bus so I must have enjoyed the banter.

Those girls were pretty wild. The poor blokes working in the factory had a dogs life especially the young apprentices. I sometimes used to go for a( underage) drink with them in the Turks Head up in Greens Place. The blikes didn't stand a chance.

does anyone remember forster's paper shop in Taylor St.? i hung around with freddy for years and had a paper round
at the shop. freddy is a head-master now but i don't what happened to brother john.i lived at 145 Taylor St 3 or 4 doors
away
kenny ord